Deep Freeze: Cold temps close many schools

Cold weather conditions that blew through Tuscarawas County and the surrounding areas forced many schools to have early dismissals and cancellations Monday and today.

By Alex KniselyTimesReporter.com staff writer

Cold weather conditions that blew through Tuscarawas County and the surrounding areas forced many schools to have early dismissals and cancellations Monday and today.

Indian Valley Local Schools operated under an early dismissal Monday, which allowed students, staff and faculty to leave the district buildings at 1 p.m.

Indian Valley Superintendent Ira Wentworth noted that school will be closed for the district today and explained that the decision to cancel a school day partly comes from discussion with other superintendents.

"We tend to talk together and work through that," said Wentworth. "I think it's difficult with any weather decision we make."

Despite the difficulty, Wentworth said he believes the feedback from the area is supportive of the decisions to cancel school or call for an early dismissal.

"I don't think there's much negative feedback in the community because of the rural setting," he said.

Wentworth added that safety is always the top priority when deciding to alter the school schedule and people in the area understand that the rural setting causes driving distances to be longer and the bus routes to be lengthy.

"Indian Valley families support making decisions in the best interest of their children," he noted.

Claymont City Schools was another area district that chose to follow through with an early dismissal with temperatures dropping throughout the day. Superintendent Ryan Delaney said closing school early was ideal because wind chill warnings took affect at 1 p.m., approximately the time students were allowed to leave the buildings.

According to the National Weather Service website, a wind-chill warning that took affect Monday at 1 p.m. will last until 10 a.m. on Wednesday.

Delaney also commented that the gears were in motion for a possible cancellation for today with the impending cold temperatures, although as of approximately 11:30 a.m. Monday, he would not confirm that school will be closed.

"That will not be a difficult plan for (today)," said Delaney. "We want to make sure it (the temperature) is going to drop. You do the best you can to make these kinds of decisions."

Despite numerous dismissals, New Philadelphia City Schools operated on a full day yesterday.

Superintendent Bob Alsept chose not to close school early because of the safety of the students.

"They're here, they're safe, they're warm," Alsept said. "My fear is, what if a little one gets dropped off and nobody's at the house."

Alsept took into account the schedules of parents when it comes to two-hour delay and early dismissal decision making.

"The feedback we get from a lot of parents is that a late start and early dismissal is more difficult to cover than the actual snow day."

But above all, Alsept said, "The first consideration is the safety of the kids."

Alsept also said he would attempt to make a decision in the late afternoon of yesterday regarding any cancellations or delays about today, to give people time to make plans.

Area schools that announced closings for today, as of 4:30 on Monday, include Claymont, Conotton Valley, Dover, the Holmes County Training Center, Indian Valley, Immaculate Conception Elementary, Malvern, Newcomerstown, New Philadelphia, Sandy Valley, Strasburg, Tuscarawas Central Catholic High and Elementary, Tusky Valley and West Holmes.

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